Dave Cull Has A Blog

It is great to see that Dunedin City Mayoral Candidate, Dave Cull, has a blog.
It would be even better if he allowed comments.
The Greater Dunedin team already has a web-site.
The other Dunedin City Councillor with a blog is Fliss Butcher.
But some other Councillors post on What if? Stadium of Dunedin...

IT Startups At The Distiller Showcase

Many of Dunedin's IT startups will be presenting at the The Distiller Showcase:
5 pm Thursday 19th August
University Oval

Michael Guests Digital Strategy?

On Facebook's DCC has lost the plot, Mike Stk has noted that this website:
http://www.separation-international.com/
is registered to Dunedin City Councillor Michael Guest's Auckland brother using Michael Guest's street address and email address, as can be seen here:
http://who.is/whois/SEPARATION-INTERNATIONAL.COM
The ODT has now caught up with the story.
Michael Guest denies benefiting financially from this venture, but it is just the kind of digital enterprise that Dunedin needs.

Calvin on High Rates

More great analysis from Calvin Oaten on the "What if?" site.

Small Bins Removed From Recycling Plan

The Dunedin City Council has decided on it's new recycling service. (ODT report here). But there will be no choice of a small bin.
In the consultation, the preferred Option C had a choice including a 40 litre, lidded, stacker bin especially for smaller properties or those with steps.
The smaller bins were an essential part of Option C: they catered for residents without much space, or with steps. Without them many people, including myself, would not have supported this option.
And why was this change in the Option which was consulted on, not mentioned in the Council press release? With this kind of omission, it can be fairly described as propaganda. Especially when it was praised as a good deal, when a significant amount would have been saved by the unmentioned reduction in choice.
This may well turn into yet another Council bungle.

Response from Councillor Andrew Noone:

The Councils preferred option was as you describe during the Annual Plan process, however when tenders were sought we asked contractors to provide options for the enhanced service.

Of the four conforming tenders none were prepared to provide the lidded/stacker bin for a reasonable price for these reasons:

1) lidded stacker bins are not robust enough for mechanical pick up, there seemed to be a problem with the lids hinge and the handles. This was news to the Council. Several were broken when contractors tested them.

2) the industry have far higher standards re health and safety these days and are moving towards using only left hand drive vehicle/single operation, so the driver is the only person in the vehicle, hence mechanical pickup.

3) the wheelie bins have a 12 year guarantee, contract is for 7 years. The lidded stacker bins had a much shorter life, sorry cannot recall length of guarantee.

4) the media were told about the reasons for the change but did not include those reasons in the article.

If individuals are physically unable to wheel bins to the kerbside then arrangements can be made with the contractor by providing a medical certificate for a back door service.

Update:
The ODT now has this story.

Stadium Lift Three Months Behind Schedule

The ODT reports that the lift of the first of the Stadium's five roof trusses was expected to be done next week.

That would make the lift nearly three months behind schedule, when compared with a stadium construction programme presented to the Dunedin City Council by CST staff last October.

Mr Farry is still saying that the Stadium can be built on budget and in time for next year's World Cup. It will interesting to see to see what comes out of the woodwork once this year's Council elections are over.